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2: Ethics Matters- Understanding the Ethics of Public Speaking

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    326448
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    • 2.1: Prelude to Ethics Matters- Understanding the Ethics of Public Speaking
      This page explores ethical considerations in public speaking, addressing issues like the morality of lying, the use of flawed evidence, and engaging with opposing views. It presents the ethics pyramid as a framework for ethical communication and applies the NCA's Credo for Ethical Communication. The chapter wraps up with a discussion on free speech.
    • 2.2: The Ethics Pyramid
      This page presents Elspeth Tilley’s ethics pyramid, outlining the levels of intent, means, and ends in public speaking ethics. It highlights the necessity of ethical intentions, appropriate means, and evaluating outcomes. Ethical dilemmas, such as AI in speech preparation, are discussed in relation to moral awareness. Additionally, it outlines the obligations of ethical listeners, using Pablo as an example, emphasizing respect, feedback, and confidentiality to foster constructive dialogue.
    • 2.3: Ethics in Public Speaking
      This page outlines the ethical responsibilities of public speakers, stressing the importance of truthfulness, proper sourcing, and avoiding plagiarism to build credibility. It underscores the need for transparency and respect for diverse opinions in democratic dialogue, while also highlighting the consequences of speech, such as the potential incitement of violence.
    • 2.4: Free Speech
      This page discusses free speech, highlighting its constitutional foundation in the First Amendment and its role in enabling unrestrained expression crucial for public discourse and other freedoms. While protected, free speech has limits to prevent incitement of violence or illegal acts.
    • 2.5: Chapter Exercises
      This page discusses ethical communication dilemmas in high-stakes situations, exemplified by Jerold Follinsworth's speech case. It examines the tension between honesty and political gain, employing the ethical pyramid and the NCA Credo for Ethical Communication. Additionally, it presents scenarios highlighting ethical breaches, such as inappropriate source use and biased information presentation, prompting readers to reflect on the consequences of their communication choices.


    This page titled 2: Ethics Matters- Understanding the Ethics of Public Speaking was last modified on Sun, 05 Apr 2026 06:48:44 GMT and is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Jason Wrench, Anne Goding, Danette Ifert Johnson, and Bernardo Alexander Attias via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.